In the early 1940's, asbestos was an inexpensive material which was used in virtually every industrial plant across the nation because of its superior capabilities of noise reduction, insulating and fire retardant qualities. Asbestos was used in cement asbestos pipe, plaster, wiring, pipe insulation, sound absorbing tiles, floor tiles and sprayed-on ceiling structural steel and deck pans.
Asbestos has been found to be a health hazard, and asbestos removal or abatement programs are being conducted to remove these health hazards. Many regulations have been adopted and are in place to insure the safety of those workers who are removing the asbestos, as well as to insure that the asbestos being removed will not be introduced into the surrounding atmosphere. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,296 describes one type of system which is employed in an asbestos removal project.
In most projects, an enclosure is created around the space in which the asbestos is to be removed. The space is sealed by means of plastic sheets or the like with an air inlet provided to permit air to be drawn therein. A filtration unit such as the Model MT-3 of Microtrap, Inc. of Maple Shade, N.J. or the Model ST 2000 of Global Consumer Services, Inc. of Los Angeles, Calif. is employed with each of the units having an air inlet and an air outlet. The air outlet of the filtration unit is placed in communication with the area outside of the enclosed space. A blower means is provided in the filtration unit so that the contaminated air in the enclosed space will be drawn through the filtration unit with the asbestos fibers being collected in the filtration unit. The filtration units are sometimes referred to as negative air systems so that air is drawn through the air inlet formed in the wall and thence through the filtration unit.
In some situations, asbestos-containing articles and materials may be strewn about the ground adjacent a contaminated structure. In such a case, shower rooms or the like are not immediately available at the facility. The present procedure is for the worker to proceed directly to a decontamination facility or a shower. As the worker moves from the contaminated environment to the decontamination facility, it is quite possible that asbestos fibers will fall from the contaminated clothing and be disseminated into the air through which the worker is passing.
Furthermore, in the outdoor environment, the act of collecting contaminated articles from the soil can cause asbestos fibers to be deposited in the air and carried into the atmosphere. Thus, collection of the contaminated articles can cause contamination of the surrounding atmosphere.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide an enclosure which is transportable with a person in the outdoor environment to enclose the area where contaminated articles are being collected from the ground.
More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a transportable enclosure which may be moved by a contaminated person from the contaminated area to a decontamination facility with a minimum of asbestos fibers being released from the contaminated area into the atmosphere.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device of the type described which includes a negative air system having a filter means provided thereon to prevent the escape of contaminated material from the interior of the enclosure.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.